Workshop 2 - Curriculum Mapping and MCAS Alignment
(2 hours) Facilitated online
BASELINE SURVEY
Have you completed the baseline survey? It should be completed before beginning Workshop 2. If you have not, please complete it now. Diane Schilder has requested that you complete this survey using the link that was emailed. Baseline Energy Survey
Checklist for this Workshop
Learn about curriculum mapping.
Take an Interactive test of MCAS items at your grade level.
You may find it useful to share this test with your students.
Examine MCAS test items
Select 3 test items that are challenging for your students to understand
Post information on your MCAS item selection to the discussion page.
Examine your district curriculum map and connect your MCAS items to the standards and the curriculum map.
Objectives
In this Workshop you will gain the following objectives: Content Objectives
Examine MCAS test items
Select 3 test items that are difficult for your students to understand
Align 2-3 test items on a grade level curriculum map
Tech Objectives
Understand the difference between the free Adobe PDF reader and Adobe Acrobat software.
Use the thumbnail, bookmark, and browse features of Adobe PDF to view MCAS test items
Complete an online interactive test that uses FormsCentral from Adobe
Post and reply to a wiki Discussion tab
Introduction
"The end comes from the beginning." At the end of the class, or lesson, or unit, or course, what do you want your students to understand? Working backwards from that goal helps us as teachers develop a curriculum that will ultimately lead students to achieve the goal.
In this workshop, we will start with the desired results. Think about what you have learned in the lab class for this course. What concepts do you want your students to understand? How would you assess their understanding?
Massachusetts students ultimately take the MCAS test, therefore, aligning MCAS items with our goals for student learning will aid in developing the curriculum that helps students achieve the essential understanding.
To that end, let's work with two main areas: curricular goals via curriculum mapping and examining assessment items.
PART I: Curriculum Mapping
An Introduction to Curriculum Mapping
How do your objectives for your students' learning and your assessment item choices fit into your overall curriculum?
Let's look at curriculum mapping as a process/tool that will help you figure out the answer to this question.
Your answers will help you create a lesson based on your learning in this course as well.
2.We would like to introduce a couple of Web 2.0 tools in this exercise. Perhaps these Web 2.0 tools can be used in your classroom.
2.1 Web 2.0 Tool: Slideshare.
Watch the slideshow to learn about curriculum mapping.Curriculum mapping intro
2.2 Web 2.0 Tool: Podcast sharing through iTunes
To learn more about the lesson plans and curriculum maps and what makes them different, please watch the podcast entitled
"Difference Between Lesson Plans and Curriculum Maps".
Alternatively, you can access this podcast via the iTunes link - iTunes Podcast
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, student assessment of science knowledge is conducted at grades 5, 8, and in High School.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) releases at least half of the test items used in the Spring exam.
These test items are released in PDF format. The files below contain an annotated collection of MCAS science questions. The highlighted test items directly align to course content in the Integrating Sciences through Energy course. As you will soon discover, the high school exams have the most items directly aligned to the content of this course.
2.3 Interactive Tests
Elementary and Middle School grade level tests contain questions selected from the science and technology/engineering MCAS exams. Please take the appropriate grade level test as a teacher. Make note of MCAS questions that directly relate to the many hands-on laboratories you conducted in the lab course. For elementary teachers, you should use either the middle school or high school level test.
To review your answers to the pretest - click on the link FormsCentral data. This link currently does NOT require a login to view.
PLEASE NOTE: When students begin completing the tests, only teachers who have a science learning community wiki account will be able to view the data sets.
Click on the caption bubble icon to view the Discussion board. Scroll to the top of the page.
Click New Post to contribute your response.
2.4 Share in the Discussion Tab (see image on right) for this Workshop page how you would prepare your students to answer one of the test questions using your knowledge of inquiry-based science instruction from the course.
Optional: If you are able to, have at least 5-10 students complete one of the tests. Make sure they include their first and last names, teacher's name, and grade level. Student data will not be publicly viewable.
2.5 Reviewing Past MCAS Exams Use the test item collections below to help you select a test question (assessment items). (Instructions on how to use these past MCAS exam files can be found in the next section - How to Use the Annotated PDF MCAS Test Items).
There are three easy ways to view MCAS test items that align to this course. Use any of these methods to find aligned MCAS questions.
Download one of the MCAS PDF files in the above table.
Toggle between thumbnail and bookmark icons
Thumbnail Directory
Questions that directly align to Integrating Sciences through Energy are indicated using a pink colored outline box. Below are thumbnail images captured from the PDF. Page 333 shows question 14 outlined with an outline box. Click on the thumbnail icon to jump to the full size version of page 333. Question 14 from the 2012 High School Chemistry MCAS exam asks about the difference between nuclear fusion and fission. This topic will be covered in this course.
This screen capture shows page thumbnails and MCAS question highlight.
Closeup of thumbnail view.
Bookmark Directory Use the bookmark view icon to display the list of aligned questions.
Bookmarks list questions, question type and a brief description.
Browse Use the Reader arrow UP and DOWN icons to page through the PDF looking for questions with an outline.
Would you like to review more MCAS test items?
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's website includes MCAS questions for the years 2006-2012. If you would like to review science test items from any of these other yearly exams, visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's MCAS Test Questions website.
PART III: Curriculum Mapping
Now complete the curriculum mapping activity. The steps are listed below.
2.6 Curriculum Mapping Activity
a. Identify 2-3 MCAS items that you would like to develop an activity or lesson on based upon student performance.
c. Review your school or department's curriculum documents. Where in the curriculum do you address the standard?
d. What instructional activities did you use during the last school year to teach your students?
e. Share your answers : Please add your answers to items a-d (above) on your Teacher page.
To edit the page, turn on the "edit" function (see image on right) to write your answers to steps 1-4 for this activity on the page.
When you click on the Edit Tab, the Edit Bar pictured to the right will appear.
The main functions of the editor can be found on this bar. Please make sure to "save" after you make your edits and before your exit the page.
TIP: In this activity you will be editing a wiki page. Recall our first assignment in Workshop 1 where each teacher team edited a group page.
Thanks! You've completed activities on choosing assessment items and curriculum mapping. The next workshop, Workshop 3, will be about how Web 2.0 strategies can be used in your classroom, with the goal of identifying strategies that you would like to use in your lesson.
Questions or Problems? We'll be facilitating the discussion. If you need a more immediate response, or if the question is about how the Wiki is working and/or technical detail, please contact TRITEC Director Bob Simpson through this SLC Wiki or email at robert@simpson3.org
Energy
Workshop 2 - Curriculum Mapping and MCAS Alignment
(2 hours) Facilitated onlineBASELINE SURVEY
Have you completed the baseline survey? It should be completed before beginning Workshop 2.If you have not, please complete it now. Diane Schilder has requested that you complete this survey using the link that was emailed.
Baseline Energy Survey
Checklist for this Workshop
- Learn about curriculum mapping.
- Take an Interactive test of MCAS items at your grade level.
- Examine MCAS test items
- Select 3 test items that are challenging for your students to understand
- Post information on your MCAS item selection to the discussion page.
- Examine your district curriculum map and connect your MCAS items to the standards and the curriculum map.
- Post your information to a Teacher Wiki page.
enrgy1_Workshop2_Tasks_2013.pdf
- Details
- Download
- 34 KB
ObjectivesYou may find it useful to share this test with your students.
Audio - Helpful tips for working more efficiently
(4m:43s)
In this Workshop you will gain the following objectives:
Content Objectives
Tech Objectives
Introduction
"The end comes from the beginning." At the end of the class, or lesson, or unit, or course, what do you want your students to understand? Working backwards from that goal helps us as teachers develop a curriculum that will ultimately lead students to achieve the goal.
In this workshop, we will start with the desired results. Think about what you have learned in the lab class for this course. What concepts do you want your students to understand? How would you assess their understanding?
Massachusetts students ultimately take the MCAS test, therefore, aligning MCAS items with our goals for student learning will aid in developing the curriculum that helps students achieve the essential understanding.
To that end, let's work with two main areas: curricular goals via curriculum mapping and examining assessment items.
PART I: Curriculum Mapping
An Introduction to Curriculum Mapping
How do your objectives for your students' learning and your assessment item choices fit into your overall curriculum?
Let's look at curriculum mapping as a process/tool that will help you figure out the answer to this question.
Your answers will help you create a lesson based on your learning in this course as well.
2.We would like to introduce a couple of Web 2.0 tools in this exercise. Perhaps these Web 2.0 tools can be used in your classroom.
- 2.1 Web 2.0 Tool: Slideshare.
Curriculum mapping intro from Mike Fisher - 2.2 Web 2.0 Tool: Podcast sharing through iTunes
"Difference Between Lesson Plans and Curriculum Maps".Watch the slideshow to learn about curriculum mapping.Curriculum mapping intro
To learn more about the lesson plans and curriculum maps and what makes them different, please watch the podcast entitled
Alternatively, you can access this podcast via the iTunes link - iTunes Podcast
If you are unable to access the video via iTunes, here is an alternative link -
http://www.curriculummapping101.com/resources/differences-between-lesson-plans-and-curriculum-maps
PART II: MCAS STEM Data Analysis
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, student assessment of science knowledge is conducted at grades 5, 8, and in High School.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) releases at least half of the test items used in the Spring exam.
These test items are released in PDF format. The files below contain an annotated collection of MCAS science questions. The highlighted test items directly align to course content in the Integrating Sciences through Energy course. As you will soon discover, the high school exams have the most items directly aligned to the content of this course.
2.3 Interactive Tests
Elementary and Middle School grade level tests contain questions selected from the science and technology/engineering MCAS exams. Please take the appropriate grade level test as a teacher. Make note of MCAS questions that directly relate to the many hands-on laboratories you conducted in the lab course. For elementary teachers, you should use either the middle school or high school level test.Elementary Teachers
Middle School Teachers
High School Teachers
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=DfzqXWDvTWna-MYkH-dy2A
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=%2ArWHcWTaW8tWv%2AQB5veTiA
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=VtWmZZAHuNwFTg8pRKKU2Q
To review your answers to the pretest - click on the link FormsCentral data. This link currently does NOT require a login to view.
PLEASE NOTE: When students begin completing the tests, only teachers who have a science learning community wiki account will be able to view the data sets.
Optional: If you are able to, have at least 5-10 students complete one of the tests. Make sure they include their first and last names, teacher's name, and grade level. Student data will not be publicly viewable.
2.5 Reviewing Past MCAS Exams
Use the test item collections below to help you select a test question (assessment items).
(Instructions on how to use these past MCAS exam files can be found in the next section - How to Use the Annotated PDF MCAS Test Items).
These files are viewable through the free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Elementary Teachers
Middle School Teachers
High School Teachers
How To Use the Annotated PDF MCAS Test Items
There are three easy ways to view MCAS test items that align to this course. Use any of these methods to find aligned MCAS questions.
Download one of the MCAS PDF files in the above table.
Questions that directly align to Integrating Sciences through Energy are indicated using a pink colored outline box. Below are thumbnail images captured from the PDF. Page 333 shows question 14 outlined with an outline box. Click on the thumbnail icon to jump to the full size version of page 333. Question 14 from the 2012 High School Chemistry MCAS exam asks about the difference between nuclear fusion and fission. This topic will be covered in this course.
Would you like to review more MCAS test items?
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's website includes MCAS questions for the years 2006-2012. If you would like to review science test items from any of these other yearly exams, visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's MCAS Test Questions website.
PART III: Curriculum Mapping
Now complete the curriculum mapping activity. The steps are listed below.
2.6 Curriculum Mapping Activity
a. Identify 2-3 MCAS items that you would like to develop an activity or lesson on based upon student performance.
b. Determine what Massachusetts curriculum science standard aligns to the test item. Record the standard number.
c. Review your school or department's curriculum documents. Where in the curriculum do you address the standard?
d. What instructional activities did you use during the last school year to teach your students?
e. Share your answers : Please add your answers to items a-d (above) on your Teacher page.
To edit the page, turn on the "edit" function (see image on right) to write your answers to steps 1-4 for this activity on the page.When you click on the Edit Tab, the Edit Bar pictured to the right will appear.
The main functions of the editor can be found on this bar. Please make sure to "save" after you make your edits and before your exit the page.
TIP: In this activity you will be editing a wiki page. Recall our first assignment in Workshop 1 where each teacher team edited a group page.
Thanks! You've completed activities on choosing assessment items and curriculum mapping. The next workshop, Workshop 3, will be about how Web 2.0 strategies can be used in your classroom, with the goal of identifying strategies that you would like to use in your lesson.
Questions or Problems?